BREAKING: Abbott Signs Texas Open Carry Bill

TTAG was front and center this afternoon at Red’s Indoor Range in Pflugerville as Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill into law establishing Texas as the latest open carry state (as of January 1, 2016). The Lone Star’s top man did the honors before a select group of legislators who did the heavy lifting needed to get the bill to his desk. He remarked on the genius of the Founding Fathers in crafting the Second Amendment which recognizes the right Texans and all Americans to keep and bear arms . . .

Under the law’s provisions, if you want to open carry, you’ll need a concealed carry license.

Once the ceremonies were concluded, the Governor wasted no time in grabbing a lane and sending a few rounds down range using a SIG P938.

God bless Texas.

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Two unrelated questions:
When does open carry go into effect? Seems I remember hearing Jan 1 2016 at one point, but I’ve heard nothing recently.
Also, is the Gov. wheelchair-bound? It makes no difference to me whether or not he is, wouldn’t have changed my vote, but I had no idea.

As an update for anyone who cares, Governor Abbot is, according to Wikipedia, a paraplegic due to an accident in 1984, chasing a storm. I think it’s kinda cool that this didn’t seem to play a part in his campaign or election.

Vote with your feet and move. Really, this is what it takes. As more people leave places like MA, NY, NJ, and MD, the next census will show that and the deep red south will gain more seats in the house of representatives.

Since Texas requires a concealed carry license to open carry, this brilliant legal precedent will be used for other state sanctioned activities. A divorce license will be required if you wish to marry. You will have to file to close your business before you can open it. And finally, better get permission from the zoning board to demolish a house before building it.

It’s not really precedent, there are a number of states/counties with the same rule. As odd a rule as it sounds, my state has this same rule, and many police officers don’t look twice at an openly carried handgun, as that person is almost always licensed to carry it.

TTAG: this would be a perfect time to write an article covering different holsters for open carry. I for one would like a level 2 retention holster but I know nothing about these types of products. Would also be a great time to publish an article covering all types and makes of OWB holsters since I plan on switching from IWB to OWB on Jan 1. Please and much obliged.

I use Blackhawk retention holster for my M&P 40 AND 45. WHAT IT DOES IS IT HAS A BUTTON ON THE SIDE OF THE HOLSTER THAT WHEN YOU PUSH IT YOU NOW CAN DRAW YOUR WEAPON. MY ADVISE TO YOU IS THERE ARE OTHER FINE CLASS 2 HOLSTERS SO WHEN YOU FIND THE ONE YOU LIKE I CANT STRESS THIS ENOUGH YOU NEED TO EMPTY YOUR WEAPON AND PRACTICE PRACTICE. WHY BECAUSE ITS DIFFERENT AT FIRST GETTING THE FEELOF A SMOOTH DRAW. GOOD LUCK

The MOST IMPORTANT matter for the next 6 1/2 months is for Texans to plan and organize to initiate and maintain OC practice in the lone star State beginning 1/1/16.

No doubt there will be plenty of OC on New Year’s Day itself; and some for the following week. A flash-in-the-pan compared to the long struggle ahead.

What we really need from Texans now is a sustained effort to keep actively OCing every day for the next 5 – 10 years. I’m not proposing that every Texan who celebrates New Year’s Day should be expected to keep up the effort every day for such a long period. No, that’s not realistic. But, if each Texan who does so undertakes to OC once day a month for the next 5 – 10 years that will make a really big difference.

The effect will be that just about everyone going about their business in Texas will see one or two OCariers likewise going about their business. To observe such a passerby will become unremarkable. And that’s what we are striving for – to make guns unremarkable.

Lots of visitors come to Texas for business, visit relatives, tourism, travel to Mexico, etc. Those visitors are from OTHER STATES. Think about that, Americans from the other 49 States will see that Texans are OCing and that other Texans are PAYING NO ATTENTION to the fact. Not only are the streets not running with blood; the women and children are not running scared.

Texas has much more out-of-state travel than Arizona or New Mexico; so, it’s going to have a far greater impact than it’s Southwestern sister States. Yet, the effect is cumulative. Sooner-State gun owners are apt to follow suite with Texans. And the effect will spread beyond these few Southwestern States.

OCT is a really critical one-time opportunity to normalize guns in American society. I hope it isn’t wasted.

It’s quite unfortunate that the provision that prevented cops from harassing people just to see if they have a license when seen open carrying got dropped. This is a real problem. I would have rather dumped this bill and waited until we could get one through with such a provision.

Danny you are so right. I have sat through two sessions and it never got past the committee. I watched that drama unfold in both chambers. Rep did the right thing because it was a plan by the dems to kill the bill. If thay left it as it was we didnt have the votes.We have ro be happy to finally get open carry.

This will only be a problem when people come across law enforcement officers that put laws above the Bill of Rights. I think the ruckus police made about the amendment is telling. Many didn’t like the amendment to the bill because it would prevent them from performing the harassment you mentioned. To some, the amendment would have had more significance than the Constitution.

A very similar thing happened in South Carolina last session. There was unlicensed open carry on the floor, but the cops viciously opposed it because they were outraged that they couldn’t randomly stop OCers to see if they were criminals.

If I can’t have everything I want – RIGHT NOW then I’ll hold my breath and wait until my State turns BLUE.

Quite to the contrary, OCiers being stopped by cops isn’t a problem unless – and to the extent – that it happens. If minorities in Texas are intrepid enough to OC they might get carded. So be it; they have been subjected to other more overt forms of discrimination for centuries. If it happens often enough it will raise a back-lash against the police from the minority community and raise respect for gun-rights as another in the array of civil-rights worthy of respect in our society.

Be like anything else I suspect. Will be a fad to begin with and the PoPo will go nuts trying to check everyone and anyone OCing. But as time goes on they will get bored and have better things to do, as will those OCing. I’ve been in many states that have OC and have NEVER seen ANYONE Ocing. I plan to continue to CC in my lil ol level 2 holster made by Galco for my glock.